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San Diego Padres’ Cameron Maybin is picked off of second base as Los Angeles Dodgers’ Hanley Ramirez makes the tag in the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014, in San Diego. Maybin, who was pinch running, ... more >

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Another extra-inning loss for the Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego proved to be a costly one for the NL West leaders.

Alexi Amarista singled in the winning run with one out in the 10th inning, lifting the Padres to a 2-1 victory Saturday night.

Los Angeles’ lead in the division was sliced to 2 1/2 games over San Francisco, which beat Milwaukee 3-1 for its fifth consecutive victory. It’s the Dodgers’ smallest lead since they were up by the same margin on Aug. 6.

“I expected it from early on,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “I think everyone in our locker room understands how good the Giants are and where we are at and how hard games are to win down the stretch. We are getting into a pennant race and we should have expected it.”

Will Venable started the winning rally with a single to center off Jamey Wright (4-4) and stole second as pinch-hitter Rymer Liriano struck out. Amarista then lofted a single into center field and Venable slid in headfirst just ahead of the throw.

Padres manager Bud Black was ejected in the top of the 10th for arguing a call that Yasiel Puig checked his swing on a 2-2 pitch with two outs and Matt Kemp on second. Puig struck out on the next pitch.

Tim Stauffer (6-2) pitched the 10th for the win.

The Padres had runners on first and second with no outs in the ninth when Yasmani Grandal lined a shot back at J.P. Howell. The reliever somehow caught the ball, turned and doubled Abraham Almonte off second. Brian Wilson came on and got Jedd Gyorko to fly out to left.

Starters Zack Greinke and Ian Kennedy both pitched well.

On June 12, 2013, Kennedy, then with Arizona, was one of six players and coaches ejected after a brawl with the Dodgers. Kennedy hit Puig and Greinke with high pitches.

Greinke held San Diego to one run and four hits in eight innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

Greinke said the Dodgers have been concerned about the Giants all season.

“It’s not like it’s going to be an easy ride,” he said. “If we don’t play good, it’s going to be a problem.”

Kennedy went seven innings, also allowing one run and four hits while striking out eight and walking three.

Kennedy doubled into the gap in right-center with one out in the third to bring in Rene Rivera and give San Diego a 1-0 lead. Rivera was aboard on a leadoff double down the left-field line.

Adrian Gonzalez tied it with a drive into a party deck on the right-field wall with two outs in the sixth. It was his 19th homer.

Gonzalez extended to 61 his record for home runs at Petco Park. He hit 47 when he was with the Padres from 2006-2010.

Puig was back in the Dodgers’ lineup a day after being benched because Mattingly felt the outfielder was frustrated. Puig struck out in his first two at-bats. In the sixth, he lifted a high fly ball to deep center field and flipped his bat, thinking it was a home run. Instead, it was just another long fly ball to the fence at spacious Petco Park.

PUIG’S HITTING

Puig stopped an 0-for-22 slump, the longest hitless streak of his career, with a single in the eighth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu is scheduled to come off the disabled list and start Sunday’s series finale. He has been out since Aug. 14 with a strained right hip.

Padres: Black said closer Joaquin Benoit will be sidelined because his right shoulder is sore again. He recently went 11 days between appearances because of soreness.

UP NEXT:

Dodgers: Ryu (13-6, 3.28 ERA) last pitched in a loss at Atlanta on Aug. 13, allowing three runs in 5 2-3 innings.

Padres: Eric Stults (6-14, 4.63 ERA) has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 10 of his last 12 starts.

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